ART: NYC: New Works by Steven Assael

Noted figurative artist Steven Assael held an opening Nov. 21st for his new exhibit of drawings at the Forum Gallery, located at 730 Fifth Avenue in New York City.

The drawings, totaling 23, depict lusciously rendered black and white images of women and men. Assael used graphite and crayon, the earliest drawings done in 2008.

Assael, an expert draftsman, lovingly sketches every fold and wrinkle of people’s clothes and skin, the flyaways of people’s hair, and even the sheen and crinkle of a woman’s plastic head covering.

The best of the bunch are two drawings that make expert use of light and dark. “Henry” is a portrait of a Santa Claus-like figure. You can tell Assael had fun drawing the man’s beard, which is rendered and scratched to suggest light hitting each curly strand. “Bride with Cards” uses that same technique with the woman’s hair, which draws your gaze towards her pensive eyes.